Mahabharat - then and now...

In a nutshell, the Mahabharata is a tale of warring cousins and their epic conflict which engulfed all the kingdoms of ancient India. Of course, it is almost impossible to keep track of the numerous subplots and off-shoots to the main narrative - the scope almost too vast too comprehend! I grew up listening to stories from the Mahabharata at my grandmother's knee - at that time, without fully getting the moral struggles, the utter humanity of all the larger-than-life characters. And yet this humanity is what makes the Mahabharata so irresistible - the protagonists are all flawed as can be, and yet strive to attain the ultimate salvation - moksha.

It is no wonder then that when B.R.Chopra's 'Mahabharata' was first telecast as televised serial in 1988, it was an instant hit! Sunday mornings were sacrosanct - entire cities came to a standstill, as millions tuned in to watch the latest episode! By no means was this interpretation perfect - the special effects left a lot to be desired, the actors were all oh-so-dramatic and over the top, the costumes (including the ridiculous weapons) were laughable at best! The funniest were the war scenes - I still remember the 2 arrows zooming towards each other in slow-mo, and then one destroying the other, followed by close-ups of the shocked face of the loser, and the smirk on the face of the victor!

Despite all the flaws, however, this Mahabharata was still eminently watchable - and most of the credit should go to the rock-solid screenplay, crisp dialogues and the soulful couplets - all written by Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza. Using Samay - Time - as the narrator was an absolute masterstroke, and Harish Bhimani's unforgettable baritone 'Main Samay Hoon...' still echoes in my ears after so many years! Towering performances by Nitish Bharadwaj as Krishna and Mukesh Khanna as Bheeshma made it easy to overlook the shortcomings of the rest of the cast! Bharadwaj especially, was beyond fantastic - for millions of viewers, he was, and still is, the very embodiment of Krishna! It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that an entire generation was introduced to this magnificent epic in the most entertaining way possible!

And although the tale of the Mahabharata remains immortal, the 1980s TV series appears to be quite dated on recent viewing. So when the new version of the Mahabharata was announced with much fanfare - I was quite curious to watch this new take on the epic. Hopefully a more grounded, contemporary approach - treating the classic as historical rather than mythological? Better special effects for sure, but also a deeper exploration of the grey areas? Spectacularly realistic war scenes, maybe even like those seen in the Lord of the Rings films?

Alas, the new show is mostly fluff - more glitz and glamor, much less substance! The actors are all toned and buffed - without exception, everyone looks like they spent hours at the gym! Pandavas and Kauravas alike sport designer stubbles, and blow-dried hair - the salon is probably where they go after they're done with the gym! The same dhotis and angvastras, the same elaborate crowns - oh wait, the jewellery is better, and to make it easier to keep track of the different characters, each person has their unique jewellery! To say the acting is terrible would be an understatement - while veterans like Sudesh Berry and Puneet Issar are tolerable, no-one seems to have told all the newcomers that they were on the sets of a TV show, and not on a ramp of a fashion show! Arav Chaudhary makes a valiant effort as Bheeshma, but dressing him exactly like Mukesh Khanna on the previous show only serves to highlight his lack of screen presence! As for Krishna - I'll just say that Nitish Bharadwaj is sorely missed!!

The special effects, too, aren't really 'special' - the computer graphics are completely visible in most places and not much of an upgrade either! The episode with the Varnavat fire, or Draupadi's birth - could have been spectacular, but are surprisingly shoddy! And where exactly is this Hastinapur supposed to be located - surrounded by waterfalls and mountains - reminds me of Rivendell from Middle Earth! The sets are opulent enough, but again, they just seem to have used the earlier versions as templates, and then added more bling! Also unlike the 1980s series, which took its own time meandering about all the different back stories - the new version is on the fast track, completely bypassing anything other than the main thread.

So why am I still watching? - well, there's so much scope for improvement, that I can't but help hope that things will get better! And not everything is a loss - I really like the camaraderie between the Pandavas, the playful banter is really good! Saurav Gurjar as Bheem is getting better and better, and Shaheer Sheikh's vulnerable Arjun is clearly the best of the lot. I'm also liking the way Draupadi's character is shaping up - from standing up to Kunti, to playing an integral part as an advisor to Yudhishtir, this Draupadi is certainly not just an ornament! So, I'm in for the ride - for better or worse!

At the end of the day, it is the Mahabharata itself that is the clear winner - how can anyone go wrong with such a powerful saga? With its lessons on dharma and karma, the Mahabharata is as relevant today as it was centuries ago - and in any of its versions, will always remain the most popular epic of all!

The Secret Keeper

Image courtesy: Goodreads

The year is 1961 - a drowsy summer day, an idyllic farmhouse in rural England - 16 year old Laurel has found the perfect place to hide from her boisterous family. She knows she will have to join them soon - it is her brother's birthday picnic, after all - but for now, she is savoring the quiet moments, content to dream about the boy she has just met, their secret rendezvous later in the afternoon, and her big plans for the future. Lost in her reverie, she doesn't notice the stranger until he has almost reached the house - and the terrible, shocking crime that follows will forever change the way she regards her family, especially her mother, Dorothy.

Fifty years later, Laurel - now a well-established, famous actress - returns to her childhood home to celebrate her mother's ninetieth birthday. It is not a happy occasion, though - Dorothy Nicholson is in the hospital, on her death bed. An accidental discovery of a photograph from May 1941 - Dorothy with a friend, laughing at the camera, and an old inscription in a book - 'For Dorothy, A true friend is a light in the dark, -Vivien', unleash a volley of memories that have been long buried. Laurel is convinced that the name Vivien is somehow connected to the horrific events of that long ago afternoon - and she sets off on a quest to unravel this mystery, to find answers to the overwhelming questions that surround her mother - but will she be able to face the secrets that she brings to light?

From the Pre-War days in London to the Blitz years to Life After the War - the Secret Keeper is a story of love and longing, of tragedy and hope, of dreams and heartbreak, of lost opportunities and second chances, and above all, of secrets and their fateful consequences! It is the story of Dorothy and Vivien and Jimmy - three very different people who find their lives inextricably linked together. It is the story of Laurel and her siblings, and her struggle to understand and forgive her mother's youthful transgressions. Alternating between Laurel's present day investigations and the events of the 1940s, the story comes full circle with a startling twist at the end!

The book starts off a bit slow - indeed, at the beginning it almost felt like I was reading a teenage romance - and although the pace never picks up significantly, the story does get a lot more interesting! The characters are built up lovingly and in great detail, the dialogues - especially between the Nicholson siblings - so natural, that soon, that the characters almost step out of the pages as real flesh-and-blood people! Same for the settings - Greenacres, the houses on Camden street, Jimmy's apartment, the blackouts during the air-raids - they all have a genuine lived-in feel that transports you in space and time! Needless to say, the prose is rich and evocative - such vivid imagery, that it was almost like reading a picture book! The flip side, inevitably, is that there are long stretches where the descriptions take over the story, and the plot doesn't really move anywhere!

The plot is quite convoluted - lot of seemingly minor incidents and details are strewn throughout the non-linear narrative - there certainly were a couple of times when I flipped back through the book to catch something I had missed the first time! It's also a little contrived how Laurel finds all the clues in perfect order - there's no struggle, all very convenient and a tad too easy! Besides, why didn't she just talk to her mother in the first place - instead of waiting 50 years for her mother to be too sick too explain! I'm sure Dorothy would have been happy to enlighten her daughter - but then again, that wouldn't have made much of a book! Vivien's 'perfectness' also bothered me a little - in a book where most other characters are deliciously messy, Vivien seems to be almost too good to be true!

The twist in the tale, the surprise ending is what made this book the talk of the town. I don't want to give away the ending, although I will say this - for a die-hard Bollywood fan, brought up on a steady diet of the most improbable, illogical and unbelievable lost-and-found, mistaken identity and secret-pact plots, the 'surprise' ending is visible from a mile away! To give the author credit, there are no inconsistencies in the story, the clues - yes, there are clues - are subtle, and all the red herrings dovetail beautifully at the end. I read the book a second time - I admit it, I was looking for plot holes - but knowing the ending, I enjoyed the author's skill even more!

A mysterious romance or a romantic mystery - either way, Kate Morton's Secret Keeper is certainly a delightful read! Enjoy the ride, but pay close attention - you might just solve the mystery before the last chapter! Happy Reading!

Dhoom 3 (2013)

What is it that makes a movie work? That extra invisible ingredient that can make or break? Dhoom 3 has everything going for it - the prestigious Yash Raj banner, the successful Dhoom franchise, most expensive Hindi movie ever, the first Bollywood film to be released in Imax, a stellar cast headlined by Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan, and the incandescent Katrina Kaif - all the makings of the biggest blockbuster ever! And yet...

The story starts in Chicago, 1990. A struggling circus owner, Iqbal Haroon Khan (Jackie Shroff) makes a last-ditch attempt to convince the Western Bank of Chicago to give him an extension on his loan. Ignoring the desperate pleas of Mr. Khan's son, Sahir, the bank decides to foreclose. Unable to cope with the loss, Mr. Khan commits suicide, leaving Sahir heartbroken. Cut to present day - a grown-up Sahir (Aamir Khan) has but 1 mission in life - to completely destroy the heartless bank that destroyed his father's dream. He embarks on a series of robberies - targeting only branches of the Western Bank of Chicago, always leaving behind a clown's mask and a message in Hindi. Cue ACP Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachhan) and his sidekick, Ali (Uday Chopra) who are called in from Mumbai to help with this baffling case. The stage is set for a thrilling game of cops and robbers...

The USP of the earlier Dhoom films was very clear - no holds barred, unapologetic action flicks, mindless paisa-vasool entertainers. Dhoom 3 tries to give its 'bad guy' Sahir a background, a motive - and while this should have added layers to the film, infusing the action with emotion, Sahir's back story is so poorly conceptualized that it ultimately proves to be the undoing of Dhoom 3. Seriously, a evil banker and foreclosure? That's the motive for a lifetime of revenge? What irked me most was the cavalier suicide of Mr. Khan - what kind of parent leaves their kids to fend for themselves? Films like 'Pursuit of Happyness' and 'Life is Beautiful' have shown us the extraordinary lengths fathers can go to for their kids, and here is a mainstream Bollywood film, trying to pass off a father's irresponsible suicide as being somehow noble! What were the scriptwriters thinking??

So much for the emotional angle! The action and the songs should have more than enough to salvage the movie, right? Surprisingly, all the bike chases have a jaded, where-have-I-seen-this-before feel to them. A movie about a thief, and there is not single heist shown - only Sahir fleeing away from the scene of crime. Really, what purpose does it serve to have Aamir Khan walk down the side of the building - wouldn't it have been better to explain how he got into the building, and then robbed the bank? And how unintentionally hilarious was the bike that morphs into a submarine and then back into a bike? I was half expecting it to sprout a pair of wings next and take to the air - now that would have been something! And Abhishek hanging from the helicopter - didn't we see this already in Dhoom 2?

The look!

Even with all this, there is still some hope - after all, this is a Aamir Khan vehicle! Yes, it is Aamir Khan's show all the way, and I only have one question - what's with the look??? Aamir's Sahir goes through the entire film with his jaws clenched, eyebrows drawn down into a scowl - seriously, this expression never leaves his face! I honestly thought this was Aamir's worst performance ever! Speaking of scowls - is Abhishek so surly because he's doomed to play second fiddle in what essentially is his franchise? Lighten up, dude! Uday Chopra is actually better than Abhishek - he has found the one note that he can play passably well, and he sticks to it!

The climax is strangely appropriate - if the entire film hasn't made sense, it is entirely befitting that the climax should be astoundingly jaw-droppingly unbelievable! If anyone can explain how the entire cast got from Chicago to the Hoover Dam in the space of a night, I would be very grateful! Where is your celebrated script sense, Aamir? What a disappointment! And yet, this debacle has smashed all box-office records - so what do I know? Go watch it, and judge for yourself - or take my word, and watch Dhoom 2 instead!

The Phantom Tollbooth

Image courtesy: Goodreads

Milo is a perfectly normal boy - with too much time on his hands, and not enough ways to use it up. Nothing he does or learns seems to have a point, nowhere he goes seems interesting enough. Alone with his unhappy thoughts, the big, bustling world often feels small and empty to him. Then one day, Milo returns home to find a large package addressed to him - "ONE GENUINE TURNPIKE TOLLBOOTH - IF NOT PERFECTLY SATISFIED, YOUR WASTED TIME WILL BE REFUNDED" - and since he has nothing better to do, he drives his electric car through the Tollbooth, and finds himself in the Kingdom of Wisdom, where many adventures await!

I always try to read all the books my daughter brings home - mainly to make sure she's not reading anything inappropriate - more honestly, because children's books are so much fun! It's also unexpectedly rewarding when, once in a while, comes along a book that far transcends the genre of 'Children's books', a book which is quite simply - more than a story! 'The Phantom Tollbooth' by Norton Juster falls firmly in this category, and I have to admit that I'm absolutely bowled over! Quirky, funny, witty, highly entertaining, wonderfully brought to life by Jules Feiffer's whimsical illustrations - this is one children's book that should find its way to all bookshelves!

The story is simple enough - as Milo makes his way through the Kingdom of Wisdom, he finds himself on a quest to rescue the Princesses of Rhyme and Reason from the Castle of Air. He starts at Expectations - "Expectations is the place you must always go before you get to where you're going" -  and soon finds himself stuck in the Doldrums - where "nothing ever happens, nothing ever changes" - only to be rescued by Tock, the watchdog. Onwards to Dictionopolis, where words are grown on trees, and then through the Forest of Sight and Valley of Sound, to the twin cities of Reality and Illusion - then finally after an unanticipated detour to the island of Conclusions, Milo arrives in Digitopolis, where numbers are mined!

The people he meets along the way are as strange and confusing as the land Milo finds himself in. The kings of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis, respectively Azaz the Unabridged and the Mathemagician, are brothers who agree to disagree. The Lethargians - who inhabit the Doldrums, the Faintly Macabre Which and the Soundkeeper - keepers of words and sound, Chroma the Great - conductor of the orchestra of color, the Spelling Bee and his nemesis, the Humbug, the Dodecahedron whose impassioned expostulation about the beauty of numbers is one of the high points in the book - what a wonderful array of characters! I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite if I had to!

Milo sets off on his quest with the loyal Tock and the brash Humbug - but rescuing the princesses is not an easy task. Through the Mountains of Ignorance Milo battles on, facing demons as varied as the characters he has met before - the Terrible Trivium, the Senses Taker, the Triple Demons of Compromise, the Gorgons of Hate and Malice, and the seemingly harmless but equally dangerous, Threadbare Excuse and Gross Exaggeration! Goes without saying that Milo triumphs over all these terrifying demons, and rescues the princesses - and when he returns in triumph, he finds that he has just done something that was actually impossible to do! In the words of the kings - "so many things are possible just as long as you don't know they are impossible"!

What I love most about is this book, is that all ages can enjoy it on different levels. Read it to your younger children - they will love the simply told adventures of Milo and his companions. Older children, who often wonder why they have to learn to spell or multiply, will see how important numbers and words really are - "in the cloak of knowledge, one is warp and the other weft"! As for adults, this book is an allegory - the simple words and interesting story are but a facade to the story of all our lives. How many of us have been stuck in the Doldrums, and not known how to move on? Or jumped to Conclusions, never knowing that the only escape is through the Sea of Knowledge? And as we struggle daily to find Rhyme and Reason, how many of us have fallen prey to the Demons of Ignorance?

So although results are never guaranteed - go ahead, pick up a copy of The Phantom Tollbooth - if not perfectly satisfied, your wasted time will be refunded! Happy Reading!

Empire of the Moghul - Raiders from the North

April 1526 - the first battle of Panipat, in which Babur defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi, and went on to establish the Mughal dynasty in India. All students of Indian history know this part of the story. But who was Babur? Where did he come from, and why did he decide to attack Hindustan? Find these answers and more in the 'Raiders from the North' - the first book in the epic series 'Emipre of the Moghul' by Alex Rutherford.

The book begins with the accidental death of Babur's father, and twelve-year-old Babur's ascension to the throne of Ferghana - a small mountain kingdom, a fragment of the mighty empire established by Babur's illustrious ancestor, Timur. With the support of some loyal followers, Babur manages to quell his dissidents, and hold off the threat of the Uzbeks lead by Shaibani Khan. Within a year, Babur conquers Samarkand - the jewel of Timur's empire, and it seems like he is well on his way to fulfilling his destiny as Timur's heir. But the wheel of fortune turns once again - Babur is betrayed by his cousins, and loses not just the throne of Samarkand, but also his birthright, the crown of Ferghana.

This minor setback cannot hold back the true heir of Timur, though. He wins back Samarkand - not once, but twice - each time having to relinquish the throne under heartbreaking circumstances. Finally, accepting that Samarkand is not his destiny, Babur crosses the Hindu Kush mountains to Kabul. As the king of Kabul, Babul achieves stability for the first time - but he is not satisfied. He yearns to follow in the footsteps of Timur, to carve out an empire, to make his ancestors proud. To the west of Kabul, the Shah of Persia and the Uzbeks in Samarkand leave him no room for expansion - Babur turns eastwards, once again following in Timur's footsteps - crossing the mighty Indus to the land of 'dust and diamonds', to Hindustan.

Babur's army is outnumbered by the vast strength of Ibrahim Lodi - but Turkish guns and cannons lead Babur to a victory which would echo down the annals of Indian history. In one stroke, Babur is the master of the Delhi Sultanate, and has laid the foundation of his Mughal dynasty which would go on to rule India for the next four centuries. Nevertheless, his success is tainted with his deep dislike of this new land he has conquered, and he spends his last days yearning for the cool mountain breezes of his homeland - indeed it is dying wish that he be buried in Kabul...

What a brilliant start to the series! I have to admit I'm hooked - can't wait to get my hands on the next book! The author has done a wonderful job of layering the bare bones of factual history with a rich, dazzling tapestry of characters and events. The main characters are all historical, and so are the milestone events - fact and fiction blend seamlessly! I did feel that the Battle of Panipat, and also later, the defeat of Rana Sanga - both, momentous events, which changed the history of India - could have been more detailed. Compared to the bloody descriptions of the Samarkand wars, these are almost tame! But this is a minor quibble - the book surpasses all expectations!

A young dashing hero, a glorious destiny, a lifetime of peril, blood thirsty enemies, intrigues and deception, unwavering loyalty and fealty - 'Raiders from the North' is historical fiction at its best - history that reads like a high-adrenalin fiction thriller! Definitely a must-read!

Duniyadaari (2013)

Duniyadaari - 2013's biggest Marathi hit! A blockbuster, with critical acclaim! A plot inspired by the novel written by Mr. Shirwalkar, a giant in the field of Marathi literature! Directed by Satish Jadhav, with a stellar cast comprising of the who's who of today's Marathi film industry! Needless to say, my expectations were sky high before watching this movie!!

Shreyas (Swapnil Joshi) and Digya (Ankush Chaudhari) become friends after an initial misunderstanding. Shreyas is drawn into Digya's group of 'Katta' friends - a motley group with many quirks. Shirin (Sai Tamhankar) and her brother Pritam (Sushant Shelar) soon join the group, and Shreyas finds himself falling in love with Shirin. Meanwhile, Minu (Urmila Kanetkar), another newcomer to the gang is drawn towards Shreyas. Will Shreyas find his true love? Will the creepy Sai (Jitendra Joshi) stand in the way of the Katta gang's happily-ever-after? Will this friendship stand the true test of time?

I really wanted to like this movie - on paper, all the ingredients are perfect - but the end result is dry and insipid! The college setting is an ideal way to tug at heartstrings - who doesn't remember their own 'Katta' days, that brief golden period full of possibilities? That first love - and heartbreak, the endless cups of tea, the camaraderie and the pranks - how wonderful would it be to relive all of that on the big screen? And this is where the film hits its first snag - none of the actors look a day younger than 30, if that! They just don't appear right as college going students! Swapnil Joshi with his weird hairdo (is that a wig? - sure looks like one!), Ankush Chaudhari, who appears to have ransacked Bachchan's wardrobe from Sholay, Jitendra Joshi channeling Manoj Bajpai from Aks - and don't even get me started on the girls! Granted, the setting is in the 70's when bell bottom pants, beehive hair and polka dots were all the rage - but I cannot believe for an instant that students of SP college, one of the most conservative campuses in Pune even today, would be dressed like this! Not plausible at all!

The plot loopholes, too, are quite jarring! I never understood why Digya and Sai were such deadly foes, or even why Shreyas and Digya would become such close friends - so much so that Digya would antagonize one of his childhood friends in favor of Shreyas. I'm sure sharing your first cigarette with a friend is special (rolling eyes here), but shouldn't there be something more concrete too? I get that Shreyas and Shirin are attracted to each other, so why bother with the whole Minu track - especially when a love triangle has already been established with Sai? It would have made more sense if Shreyas had been torn between the contrasting personalities of the 2 girls - but there's no conflict, no tension - Minu adds zilch to the story! Also distracting was all the parents' back stories - how did it help to know that Shreyas' mom had loved and lost? Or that Shirin's parents were estranged or that Minu's dad was a widower who had raised her by himself?

The whole medical thing, too - seems like such an afterthought! Is an early death really necessary to establish a protagonist as a good person? Besides, Shreyas' illness is handled so cavalierly - right from the first frame, with the first nosebleed to the soundtrack of a beating heart - Shreyas' destiny is crystal clear. So where's the drama, the anxiety, the gut wrenching sorrow when his friends find out? When Shreyas speaks of his imminent death, he sounds like he's moving to the USA for a couple of years - his only concern is that his friends remember him on his birthday. And we see them do exactly that - remember Shreyas some 25 odd years after his death. What I would have liked to see was how these people have fared in all these years - did Shreyas' death bring them all closer, did they all rally around Shirin, most importantly, did they even stay friends? Without this depth, the final scenes of the movie are as artificial and contrived as the greying hair and glasses of the gang!

'Duniyadaari' loosely translates as 'worldliness' into English - 'yaari before duniyadaari', friendship before anything else, is a very pretty catchphrase - but I wish this movie had shown what friendship really means in the real world, in the world after college. True friends who stand by you through thick and thin, not just for the laughs - but also through the tears. I wish this movie had shown that although love is a very important part of life, it is not life itself - and again, in life, it is true friends who not only comfort you after heartbreak, but also help you get back on your feet. Oh well, it is only a movie after all - don't expect it to be insightful and heartfelt like I did, and you might just enjoy it!

Chennai Express (2013)

I am an unabashed SRK fan - have been one since his 'Fauji' days - so after sitting through the like of Ra.One and JTHJ, it was gratifying to see him in all-out entertainer like Chennai Express! Get on the train, baby!

The plot is simple enough - Rahul is an orphan raised lovingly by his grandparents. When his granddad passes away - a day shy of 100 - it is his last wish that his ashes be immersed in Rameshwaram. Rahul, on the other hand, is in a hurry to make up for his lost years - he plans to bring in his 40th birthday in Goa, and he's sure that Dadaji would understand. He cooks up an elaborate scheme to hoodwink his trusting grandmother - getting on the Chennai Express, fully intending to get off at the next station to meet his friends and drive to Goa - but fate intervenes in the form of Meenamma...

What follows is unarguably the funniest sequence in the movie - Rahul in the train, leaning out to give a hand to a beautiful damsel in distress, his cheeky 'Maine pehle bhi kiya hai' (I've done this before), the DDLJ signature tune playing in the background! And then, the same sequence with a burly goon - and again, and again - until Rahul has helped 4 more people onto the train, and is now too late to get off himself! I loved the nostalgic self-referencing, and the spoof had me in splits! And the gags keep coming - Rahul and Meena communicating by singing Hindi songs, the Tamil-Hindi lost in translation misunderstandings, Rahul's false bravado in the train - any other actor would have had me rolling my eyes, but only Shahrukh can turn the most absurd, ludicrous slapstick into highly entertaining scenes!

Needless to say, Chennai Express is a complete SRK fest! The surprise is Deepika - she more than holds her own with her spot-on Tamil accent! Her wardrobe deserves a special mention, too - gorgeous, gorgeous sarees, and what's more, she stays in her sarees even in the de rigueur dream sequence! After so many pretentiously over-styled movies of late, this film is like a fresh breath of air! Director Rohit Shetty showcases southern India beautifully, and while the picturesque villages are obviously sets, some of the locales are absolutely stunning - most notable, the bridge over the waterfall where the Chennai Express stops to let off Meena's gang - nothing short of breathtaking!

Akin to most Bollywood films, the songs add absolutely nothing to the narrative! They are beautifully picturized though, especially the 'Kashmir mein, tu Kanyakumari' number - very vibrant, very colorful! As expected, '1 2 3 4' and 'Lungi Dance' are instant chartbusters - very smart to have a musical tribute to Rajnikanth in a movie with such a Tamil feel - I kept waiting for the Thalaiva himself to make a special appearance! 'Titli' and 'Tera Raasta', the 2 romantic numbers are what you would expect - slow music with soulful lyrics! Again, the flavor of all the songs is very Indian, and so is the choreography - doesn't get any more desi than this!

It's not all smooth sailing though - actually, in one of the worst moments in the movie, SRK does end up in a sailboat! The humor is quite crass at times - and I absolutely did not get the point of the scene with the dwarf and the clicking! No Rohit Shetty movie is complete without car chases, cars blowing up in slo-mo, and the most gory fights - Chennai Express is no exception! Also, the narrative would have us believe that the devoted grandson, Rahul, would casually blow off his grandparent's wishes to go party with his friends - and then have an improbable change of heart towards the end, giving an impassioned speech about women's rights, the North-South divide, India's numerous problems and that too, in flawless Tamil! Rahul can be identified with as long he is embodying the common man - when he fights off an entire village, takes a beating severe enough to kill a person over a dozen times, and still stands up to defend himself - yawn, not impressed! Couldn't the script writers come up with a better plan to have Rahul make his point?

Flaws aside, Chennai Express is a completely feel-good movie. Bright, cheerful (for the most part), family friendly - what more can you ask for? Oh yes, SRK of course! So, go ahead and watch the movie! You'll definitely walk out withe a smile on your face! Chal-lo!!